When consumers become part of the content

The subtitle might be: how Virtual Reality is going to shake the Media reality. The so called Media world has been profoundly changed by the advent of internet and new technologies. The omni available information and the free content have revolutionized the revenue streams of well established business like newspapers and televisions. According to some voices they should have already disappeared. But we don’t have to confuse the mean with the end. One of the main Media’s role has always been the delivery of content. Journalists, photographers, cameramen have spent their energies to bring an event to our attention. Some have spent their lives on war fields and scenarios to tell us what is happening and send to the editorial room the latest picture or the most recent interview. Sport Media made incredible efforts to stay as close as possible to the athletes, today they are entering in their equipment with micro cameras and wearables.

The point is the virtual reality is going to change the paradigma. It won’t just bring the latest image and information to the consumer, but will bring the reader into the content. Almost physically. Or at least in a way that will emphasize some sensations. Some people are now scared by the price of the recent VR headsets… but are happy to spend some thousand euros for a smart HD television. Virtual reality might be the new television. With the difference that the audience won’t be completely passive as it is now, but will literally move into the scene. Today we see that virtual realities are build ad-hoc for a game, an entertainment event or a movie; tomorrow the news will be broadcasted in virtual reality, so the consumer can move into the scene, see with his eyes at 360 degrees, stop for more time if necessary, look at details, listen to sounds, interact with other consumers exploring the same event etc… Each content will be partially navigable. The audience will have the possibility to indulge on the scene, collect more information and analysis; the heaven for the “on-demand” world. At some point, ironically, VR news broadcasters will be obliged to specify if their reality has been modified or is entirely real.

Resources about bringing the consumers into the content

This topic has been catched very well by Chris Moerdy’s post titled “Can augmented reality save the mass media?“, which I invited my readers to enjoy in February and has been one of the favourites articles that month. It’s not too late to give a look if you have missed it.

You can find an amazing Ted Talk by Nonny de la Peña on this topic. I invite you to spend 10 minutes on it. This is not just about technology, is about feelings. I like as she uses adjectives.

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